VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Bruce

This latest phishing virus sounds really bad and like it may be the beginning of a growing onslaught of ransom ware and other sophisticated ways to kill or maim our computers.

I've linked to my ISP's advice page on this issue. I'm not trying to shill for them. It's just another source of good info: http://www.newtekone.com/2017/05/15/security-alert-wannacry-ransomware/

Besides the usual advice to frequently update the patches for your operating system and never ever opening links you don't trust, it sounds like regular OFF SITE BACKUPs will be our ultimate defense. If you back up to a separate hard drive and always remember to disconnect it that may be the way to go. On the other hand companies like Carbonite say they're safe and always there for you.

What do you do for backup of your important files, is it reasonably priced, is it easy to work with, and have you had a chance to use it?

Thanks for your input!

Bruce
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

Dave Waters · Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 8:01 pm Post subject:

I use Crashplan:
https://www.crashplan.com/en-us/

I have the family plan which backs up all computers for $13.99 per month. I have used it many times while on the road to download audio files for pickups, etc.

I think I started using it based on a recommendation from George W. a few years ago.
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Dave Waters
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ricevoice · Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 8:23 pm Post subject:

I use both a backup external hard drive (unplugged) and iDrive (cloud-based, $149/yr)... I still do a bit of radio production and need to keep backups of all of my music/sfx libraries as well, so I have the 1 TB plan.
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Ed Fisher · Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 7:11 am Post subject:

I shopped around a bit.

+1 for Crashplan.

Plus you can use a level of encryption that even THEY can't access. So...best to NOT forget your password.
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"I reserve the right to be completely wrong."

Mandy Nelson · Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 8:38 am Post subject:

I use a mix. Onsite we have the recording computer then the editing computers plus an external hard drive. All music is also on a dedicated external drive of it's own. Then there is the ftp attached to my website. I know I should have another alternative but I don't just yet.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 9:53 am Post subject:

I use Carbonite, but like the fire insurance coverage on my house, I have no desire to find out how good it is.
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Ed Fisher · Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 11:22 am Post subject:

Many years ago (and after a horrible loss of data) I starting using computer imaging software. The beauty of this is that you can completely restore your computer to an earlier time. (This is different that a PCs "restore" function which only restores the "system files.")

Currently I have the wife's business backing up on Acronis. Every night at a preset time it will backup the entire computer to a USB external HD by adding only that information that has changed since the day before.

Only now...with this new virus I'm recommending that she PHYSICALLY disconnect the external HD after each backup. That way, if she is hit, the connected HD will not get "encrypted" along with everything else.

Of course, the downside to backing up to an onsite HD is if a plane falls on the building or the Volcano next door erupts and burns your business to a cinder..you are SOL. That's why some folks have two HD's and alternate having one always offsite at another location.

The possibility of catastrophic disaster or theft, is one big advantage to the offsite backup plans. Downside to them is...SPEED. Depending on the sheer size of your files (working in 4K video anyone?) the backup process can be a loooong process. (particularly in the beginning it might take several days...or even weeks to get a complete backup of all of your info.)

For myself I use "Crashplan"...but in the beginning it was backing up 24 hours a day for many days (I can't remember how many now...but more than a week) until all of my data was initially uploaded.

Now, typically....I get an email report every day that says I am 100% backed up.

There is no "perfect" way to backup.

But to NOT backup... (once I missed out on a great holiday weekend with the family while I spent the entire time trying to "recover" 6 months worth of data from a crashed HD - to NO avail!) ...is NOT an option.

IMHO Angry

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"I reserve the right to be completely wrong."

Velfin · Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 1:55 pm Post subject:

Another +1 for Crashplan.

We've used several, but theirs has been the easiest to use for recovery. Also, when my desktop went on the fritz and I got a laptop, it transferred everything so well that I got suspicious.

The other thing we like about it is that it can cover multiple computers.
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Kendra Hoffman
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